


The wind and his flower

by MuninnMidnightCrow



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: F/M, References to Depression, Sex, Sleep Deprivation, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24925636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuninnMidnightCrow/pseuds/MuninnMidnightCrow
Summary: Months have passed since Hyacinthus' death. But Zephyrus seems not to be in peace with himself. He can't sleep anymore and, during his long nights, spirits torment him. Fortunately, he will find someone who will make him forget his sufference.
Relationships: Chloris/Zephyrus
Kudos: 3





	The wind and his flower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Martina Masaya](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Martina+Masaya).



> This piece is thought to be a "sequel" to Martina Masaya's comic "Hyacinthus". I loved the story and the character of Zephyrus and I strongly recommend everyone to check out her Instagram profile!  
> @masaya_90

There wasn't wind during that summer day.  
It was because Zephyrus, god of the west wind, was sitting all alone under a tree in the middle of a forest.  
He has suffered of sleep deprivation after... Hyacinthus.  
Oh, how he regretted his rage impulses.  
He just couldn't stand to be rejected in that way.  
The Spartan prince's words truly hurt him.  
He cried for days, and the raining clouds followed his heartache.  
Then, arrived rage and envy.  
Thunder, lightnings, dark skies.  
The violent wind.  
The same that diverted the discus which hit Hyacinthus on the head, killing him.  
It was him.  
That was his fault.  
Since when everything happened, Zephyrus hasn't been able to sleep anymore.  
He wondered if Apollo had bribed Hypnos to not make him fall asleep.  
But, nonetheless, it was a sufference.  
At night, he would hear the Spartan prince weeping voice yelling at him, see his face in everything through the darkness.  
“You ruined my life!” his apparition would scream, with his eyes full of tears. “Why couldn't you accept my choice? Was it so difficult for you?” Then, it would move his beautiful scarlet hair, showing the sign left by the discus, still bleeding out. “Because of you, I won't see Radiant Apollo again! And I... I have to stay in the Underworld without him... Just because you weren't able to control yourself!» «Stop, stop, please...» Zephyrus would cry, using his white wings as a shelter. «I am already paying for my mistakes, and I begged forgiveness...»  
But the visions never stopped.  
“For how much didn't I sleep?” he wondered that day, looking at the vastity of trees and plants sorrounding him.  
«... Months, probably...» the god muttered between himself.  
In that moment, he wished he was a mortal.  
Yes, a mortal, so that he could hang himself and finally putting an end to his torture.  
But he couldn't.  
And the only possibility was probably asking Zeus to kill him or something similar.  
“That seems a good idea... I mean, no one will suffer because of my death, right? I am just the west wind god... Not even humans will notice I disappeared...”  
But what 𝘩𝘦 didn't notice was that he wasn't alone in the woods.  
There was someone, a young woman, hidden between the trees, whose curiosity had been aroused by the mysterious stranger with the most beautiful wings she had ever seen.  
They resembled the ones of the swans, wondrous, full of milk-white feathers, big enough to cover two, maybe three people.  
“I would love to talk to him...” she tought, silently advancing towards him. “He seems so wistful and lonely...”  
But the god was so lost in his thoughts that when the girl gently touched his arm, he, startled, immediately gripped her wrist, looking at her with a twisted gaze.  
«Who are you?! What do you want from me?!» Zephyrus asked, frantically. «Did Apollo sent you? Did he?! I'm sick and tired of his games!»  
«I... I don't know what you're saying! Let me go!»  
She ran away, shocked and scared, leaving him alone with sadness and remorse. Again.  
«What have I done... Please, wait! I'm sorry!»  
The god made his way through the trees following the young woman, who had meanwhile stopped in a nice clearing to catch her breath.  
“If she sees me again, maybe I'll make her go away... I have to make sure she knows I don't want to hurt her...”  
Thinking that, he sorrounded her with a gentle wind, flowers started to fly around her, and so did her hair, lifted in the air.  
She laughed, amazed by the phenomenon, letting the breeze caress her body, until she heard a voice calling her:«I... I'm sorry... I didn't want to scare you... I meant no harm towards you...»  
The girl turned her head in the direction of the voice, seeing Zephyrus sitting on a high branch of a tree.  
«Oh! It's... It's you doing... This?» she asked.  
«You mean... The wind?»  
«Yes! It's amazing!»  
The god could swear to feel his cheeks burning like fire: no one has ever complimented him, neither gods, nor humans.  
«It's nothing, really... There are more important things than a feeble, stupid wind...»  
«Actually... It is important... Vital, I dare to say... Without wind, there isn't life... Don't you agree?»  
Her loving smile made him suffer deeply.  
She was unaware of what he had brought.  
Death.  
His hands were not clean.  
«May... May I know your name, gracious maiden?»  
«I would love to tell you face to face... Why don't you come down here?»  
«... You wouldn't have asked me that if you knew who I am...»  
«Then come here and tell me. I prefer to be scared of what I know that of what is unknown to me».  
Zephyrus hid between his wings, nor daring to look down, absorbed in his thoughts.  
“Well... Maybe... I should at least try to speak to her... Even just to pass my day with a pleasant company...”  
The wind blowing around the girl became stronger, so much that it lifted her up.  
She let herself fluctuate in the air, laughing heartily while the breeze was making a mess of her hair and was moving her short dress.  
«You couldn't come down, but you could bring me up here?»  
«I feel more comfortable flying... I-If you don't mind, of course!»  
The young woman smiled gently.  
«I quite enjoy it... Oh, and... My name is Chloris, I am the nymph of this forest...»  
«... I... I am...»  
Zephyrus felt a lump in his throat while talking.  
He couldn't just speak.  
Because he was afraid.  
Afraid of seeing her run away screaming "Monster!" towards him.  
«You are..?»  
«... A man of no importance...»  
«I don't think so, but even if it was true, I would love to know the name of this "man of no importance"».  
The god bit his lower lip.  
It was meaningless to hide it at that point.  
«... Zephyrus...»  
«... Zephyrus...?» she repeated, with eyes filled of surprise.  
«Yes... It's me... The "murderous scumbag", as all Olympus is now calling me...»  
«I... I have heard of you...»  
He laughed sadly, swirling around her in the air.  
«Who hasn't? Now everyone knows about me! ... Right... They ignore you when you do good things, but they remember you when you act badly...»  
«... I didn't need the story of the young Spartan prince to know about you...»  
Zephyrus watched her in awe, and she smiled.  
Oh, her smile.  
«It's your vernal wind that makes the forest flowers grow... I always wait for it, knowing it will come from the west...»  
Not feeling enough forces to maintain her up with his wind, the god took her in his arms, letting the nice scent of fresh roses fill up his lungs.  
As he took a moment to contemplate all of her little, cute details, his heart started beating faster, faster than it ever did before.  
He couldn't let her go, he needed her.  
He didn't want to be alone... Again.  
«Chloris, nymph of these woods... I give you the complete dominion on flowers and plants... They will obey to your will, and of no one else...»  
Zephyrus bit his lips, unsure of how to continue.  
The nymph was looking at him curiously, not understanding the reason of such honor that was being given to her.  
«... I... I have granted you those powers... To... To ask you to be with me forever... And never leave me...»  
They didn't exchange other words.  
Only silence filled the clearing.  
Along with soft sound of a kiss.  
Apollo was riding his chariot when he passed upon Zephyrus' home.  
He saw him, tighten in Chloris' arms, and, in exchange, he was covering her with his wing.  
Apollo didn't say a word.  
He simply watched, and then went away in silence.  
That day, the sun setted earlier, and two lovers found peace in the embrace of the night.

~

Night had fallen on a cave far away in Thrace.  
It was nice, a bit cool, with flowers and vines growing all around, and a little spring of water in the middle of it.  
But the sound of the sparkling water was covered by soft, passionate moans coming from a hidden corner of the cavern.  
There, on a bed made of wood, flowers and leaves, Zephyrus and Chloris were sharing an intimate moment together.  
He contemplated her, trying to grasp every single detail of his wife with the feeble moonlight. But every time the god looked at her, he saw... Hyacinthus.  
Zephyrus saw him in Chloris' reddish curly hair, in her fair skin, in her gentle laugh.  
Everytime, all those things made him see the young prince.  
“Maybe, he wasn't wrong... Maybe I would have truly done him what Apollo did if he said yes to me... I...”  
Overwhelmed by the thoughts, Zephyrus reclined on the bed, showing his back to Chloris, whom, in response, hugged him.  
«Love... Is there something wrong...?»  
«I... I can't do this, Chloris...»  
She raised an eyebrow, confused.  
«If sex is a problem for you, we can just not do it...»  
«It's... It's not that...»  
«Then what? Zephyrus, talk to me...»  
He turned to face her, letting Chloris bury her face on his chest.  
«I want you to be happy...»  
Zephyrus gave her a kiss on her head, hugging her tighter with his wings.  
«... It's just... It's just that... You remind me a lot of him...»  
«... I do?»  
«Yes... You two share many features... And I just can't help thinking that he was right about me... I... Maybe I just wanted from him what he did with Apollo...? I am not even sure of my feelings anymore...»  
«Maybe not for him... But what about for me?»  
He looked at her surprised.  
«What are your feelings for me?» the nymph insisted.  
«... I love you more than everything, Chloris, what kind of questions is even-»  
«And I feel the same for you. Zephyrus, you should focus on this, not on the errors you made. If you continue to live in past, you will lose what you have in the present...»  
The lovers shared some tender looks, holding each other strongly.  
«... You are right... I focused on the wrong things...»  
«I am always right, you should know».  
As Chloris started to laugh, a playful smile formed on the god's lips.  
«Come here, you little minx... I still have to teach you a lesson, I see».  
«Z-Zephyrus!»


End file.
